Don’t settle for just “being” hybrid

One of my colleagues recently forwarded a video to me, in which an analyst – who is generally very pro-public-cloud – talks about why IT vendors will continue to sell hybrid cloud. The answer? It’s because that’s what companies need.

Why was that an intriguing thought for me? In the frenzy of helping customers imagine what’s now possible via cloud computing, IT providers can sometimes lose sight of customers’ contemporary needs. There’s a lot of “selling the vision” going on right now. Don’t get me wrong; that’s all fine and good if it’s applied sparingly, like the seasoning you sprinkle on your food. But too much vision selling, especially in the absence of meeting customers where they are today, is not responsible behavior.

Here’s the reality. Hybrid cloud is mainstream, and it is here to stay. I didn’t make that up – it is the majority opinion among 500 or so IT decision makers that the IBM Center for Applied Insights surveyed recently.

A hybrid cloud environment is not inherently a good or bad thing – it’s simply a “state of being.” It just means you are sort of like everyone else (sorry about that), and you’ve got to find other ways to differentiate yourself. What’s really cool is that leading organizations have figured out how to leverage this “given” (their hybrid cloud environment) not just to cut costs and gain efficiencies but also to drive strategic business initiatives that provide a competitive advantage.

What else did these 500 smart people say? Well…I’d encourage you read the study, “Growing up hybrid: Accelerating digital transformation,” and see for yourself. But bottom line – don’t just aim to hybridize your IT infrastructure. Think bigger. Imagine what it would take to help your company win and your customers be successful, and then ask yourself how you could leverage your hybrid cloud environment to achieve it.